A few weeks ago, Prospect Park proposed a plan for the transformation of one lane of traffic into an additional bike lane, and Central Park is following suit. Terrace Drive, which is open to cars at rush hour, will soon have two lanes for bikes and just one for cars. This lane comes in addition to the new East/West pedestrian and bike path.

The plan was presented last night at Community Board 7’s Parks Committee meeting to rave reviews. Presently, there are certain areas in which cyclists must walk their bikes, but the new lane will allow them uninterrupted access. The new plan will also be a big step toward an entirely car-free park, which many park advocates are striving for.

The new lane would also make the park more safe for both cyclists and pedestrians, giving more room for commuting and allowing for the flow of bike traffic in both directions. Although the project is still in the proposal stage, park advocate Geoffrey Croft has already suggested implementing small barriers to separate the cars from the bike lanes, rather than just the current stripe of paint.

Limiting car traffic will enhance everyone’s park experience, cutting back not just on congestion, but also polluting emissions.